Offbeat idea: David Barringer's "Dead Bug Funeral Kit." See below

By NATHAN HARTLE
DavidsonNews.net

Finished that holiday shopping yet? Didn’t think so. For those who like to keep their holiday gift-giving close to home, local authors, artists and shops offer plenty of hometown-flavored gifts to choose from. There’s the 2008 crop of books by local authors, locally created art and crafts, holiday ornaments and gift packages, to name a few. We have a few ideas …

(Have a Davidson-only gift idea to add to our list? Post a comment below or email it to editor@davidsonnews.net?)

LOCAL ARTISTS AND ARTISANS

David Kaylor

Davidson’s David Kaylor is selling fine turned wooden objects, from small bowls and wine stoppers to large bowls and vases. His pieces range in price from $10 to $600 dollars. He invites any and all to come view pieces at his home. To arrange an appointment. 704-892-8554. www.davidkaylorwoodturner.com

Mood Indigo Soaps offers an assortment of handmade, eco-friendly soaps, made in Davidson. Flavors available include Cinnamon Surprise, Peppermint, Lavender, and Lemon Lime. You can find them at Saturday’s holiday farmer’s market downtown, or contact Rea Wright at 704-895-4162, or moodindigosoaps@gmail.com.

Russ Gavitt’s photos, many of local scenes, can be found at Main Street Books, 126 S. Main St. Right now he’s selling a collection of note cards, some with holiday themes and others fitting year-round.

Colorful etchings and lithographs are available from Davidson artist Laura Grosch. Check out her web gallery at www.lauragrosch.com.  Photographer David Boraks (editor of DavidsonNews.net) offers photographs for sale on his website, www.davidboraks.com, including his Fall 2008 series of art images shot with a mobile phone.

Local author and designer David Barringer has an unusual gift, a “Dead Bug Funeral Kit.” Is it for a child? An adult? We’re not sure, but it’s worth checking out. Packaged in an aluminum box, it has everything you need for a bug funeral, including book of eulogies, casket and grave marker. Available at Main Street Books, 126 S. Main St.

Artwork by 21 local artists and artisans is for sale through Dec. 31 at So Alive Gallery, 108 S. Main St., next to the Village Store. Gallery hours: Tuesdays to Fridays, 11-6, Saturdays, 10-2, Sundays 12-5. Details: 704-892-0044.

A couple of more art ideas: Lake Norman Art League is having a sale work by members, who are local artists. It’s on display through Jan. 23 at the Lake Norman Art League Gallery inside the South Main Square office building, 442 S. Main St. The “Small Works 2008 Exhibit & Sale” has paintings, prints, 3-D and other works by art league members. Gallery hours: Weekdays, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Details: www.LKNart.org

Across the street, at 441 S. Main St., Wooden Stone is a gallery specializing in what they call “functional fine art:” handmade objects for use around the home, made by artists in North Carolina and beyond. Contact: 704-892-1449, www.woodenstonegallery.com And Merrill-Jennings Gallery, 463 S. Main St., also features the work of area visual artists, including Susan Jennings, Addie James, Virginia Campbell Quillen, Loren DiBenedetto, Paul Keysar, Michael Parkes and more. Contact: 704-895-1213. www.merrilljennings.com

TASTY TREATS

Truffles from Davidson Chocolate Company

Summit Coffee and Tea, 128 S. Main St., has customizable gift boxes featuring a range of coffees, mugs, and sweets. Prices are $30 and up. Also available are Summit gift cards, and souvenirs such as ball caps, T-shirts and hoodies in a range of colors and prices. For the Christmas season, Summit is also offering a Holiday Blend coffee. It’s a blend of Sumatran beans roasted three different ways and mixed to bring out the attributes of each.  Contact: 704-895-0505, www.summitcoffee.com

The Davidson Chocolate Company has some special holiday offers as well. In addition to their usual assortment of chocolates, nuts, fruits and other treats, they offer an array of edible table centerpieces and decorations ranging from $8.95 and up. The most elaborate is a six-and-a-half pound chocolate sculpture of Frosty the Snowman for $195. Contact: 704-896-7245, or www.davidsonchocolate.com
They’re in Davidson Commons Shopping Center, next to Harris Teeter.

For the Christmas season, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop at 202 S. Main St. is selling Moravian sugar cookies, biscuits and other goods from Dewey’s Bakery. The Winston-Salem-based company was founded in 1930 and has become a holiday tradition in North Carolina.

LOCAL MUSIC

Rusty Knox, the guy in the shades you can bump into on Main Street, has a new album out. “Reasons Why” features 11 acoustic tunes written by Mr. Knox, a guitarist and vocalist who can be caught live occasionally around the area. He’s accompanied by fellow Davidsonian Michael Orlando on mandolin and mando-cello, as well as Tim Carter on banjo, Danny Reid Carter on guitar and Ross Sermons on bass. It’s available at Paperlilly, Summit Coffee or The Village Store on Main Street, or from Rusty himself, next time you bump into him on Main Street. (By the way, we hear Mike Orlando has a new disc in the works, too.)

Mr. Orlando has a Christmas CD out, and a new CD in the works. The new one will be called “what i see” and it’s due out  Jan. 15. He’ll have a local release party at Summit Coffee on Jan. 17. He says it’s heavy on the mandolin. Mr. Orlando said his CDs are available through DualTone Records and Apple’s iTunes. His website: http://www.michaelorlando.com/

Summit Coffee regulars Billy Jones and The Pocket released a new CD in 2008. “Time” came out  in the fall, full of genre-blending folk and blues tunes led by Mr. Jones’ vocals. More info: http://www.myspace.com/mrbillyjones

THE PRINTED WORD

Back to David Barringer. The local author has edited an ambitious volume of essays, poems, and other writing and art dealing with the Bush administration’s years in office and their effect on America. Entitled, “What Happened to us these Last Couple Years? An Anthology of the Bush Years, 2000-2008,” the book includes the work of 44 writers, artists and photographers. It costs $20, with free shipping in the U.S. It’s also available at Main Street Books, as is his novel “American Home Life.” More at www.davidbarringer.com.

Tony Abbott

If you stop in to Main Street Books, check out their shelves of local authors. You’ll find most of Tony Abbott‘s books there, including his recent novel “The Three Great Secret Things.” (Listen to a DavidsonNews.net “4-minute interview” with Professor Abbott from January.) They also have coffee table books: “Lake Norman Reflections” by Bill and Diana Gleasner is a big seller. And you’ll find paintings and writing in the similarly titled “Lake Reflections,” by watercolorist Virginia Quillen and poet Jacqueline Jones. For teens, they recommend the young adult novel “Write Before Your Eyes,” by Mooresville author Lisa Williams Kline. It’s about a teen whose journal can create magic. Main Street Books also has many more books penned by local writers.

Another gift idea for kids: the board game “Blunders,” which makes it fun to learn manners. It was created by Davidson resident Aimee Symington. More info online. Ms. Symington is a mother of two and founder of the children’s etiquette company Successful Kids Inc. “Blunders” debuted at the 2008 International Toy Fair in New York in February, where it was chosen as one of the “best new products” by TDMonthly, a toy industry publication.

HELP A NONPROFIT

Want to give and help at the same time? There’s slew of local gifts that also help out nonprofit organizations in Davidson, including a Beaver Dam Christmas ornament sold by Davidson Historical Society and a slick photographic calendar “Images of Hometowns” that will help Davidson Housing Coalition’s HAMMERS emergency home repair program. For more about those, and about other “alternative gifts,” see our Dec. 10 feature “Some ideas for ‘alternative gifts this holiday.”

Meanwhile, Downtown Davidson Inc. still has its 2008 Christmas ornaments for sale. They feature an image of downtown by local artist Jane Ellithorpe. Ornaments are available for $15 at the Village Store, Main Street Books and Wooden Stone.

SHOP LOCALLY

Another word this holiday season: Why not consider supporting local businesses by shopping locally. Check out who’s on DavidsonNews.net’s Holiday 08 shopping page, with info on shops from Main Street to South Main Street to Exit 30. Note: It’s a paid advertising feature.

DavidsonNews.net online store

Can’t get out of the house to shop in Davidson: Visit our online store. Think of this as your one-stop page for Davidson-related books and products, including those mentioned in the pages of DavidsonNews.net. Online at http://astore.amazon.com/davidsonnet-20

(Have something to add to our list? Post a comment below or email it to editor@davidsonnews.net?)